Valve vibrator and heater



Ma 14 1 4 y 9 6 R. DE 0. M DXLL' VALVE VIBRATOR AND HEATER 3 Sheets-Sheet l VEHJ :15 7%1136 are fi fia d? Filed June 21., l945 May 14, DE Q, M VALVE VIBRATOR AND HEATER Filed June 21; 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1F. I Jig-1x 31 Z? 26 gin 32 ill n Illll-u III! 11,

v'zI/nlll/Illu ullllllrllnlllllllll y 1946- R. DE 0. McDlLL 2,400,158

' VAI JVE VIBRATOR AND HEATER Filed June 21, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FLQ -6' 76x We 076 A SDzZZ Patented May 14, 1946 Rex De Ore McDill, Cleveland, Ohio, ass'ignor to Thompson. Products, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Assn-am Jline 21, 1943,'-seria1 1%.491;css spleens. (o1. 25f9--72-) as when the valve is to be tested for its sodium content'or when thethickness of various portions of the valve wall is to be measured.

One of the principal objects and features of the present invention is to provide a novel method and means for moving the sodium to some definite position Wit hina valve and to definitely determine the angle which the free surface of the sodium within the Valve makes with respect to the longitudinal axis of the valve stein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel valve vibrator and heater.

A further jobjec't of "the present invention is to provide novel equipment for simultaneously heating a sodiumfill'ed valve and vibrating the same.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with par,- ticularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its manner of construction and method, together with further ob- J'ects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a valve vibrator and heater which embodies novel features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of thevalve vibrator and heater taken along the line III-III of Figure 2; v 3 j Figure 4 is a front elcvational view of thevalve vibrator and heater shown in Figure 1 aiter it has been elevated by its legs so as to be disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the honzonm v Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing a modified form of the present invention; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectionall view as taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 5; H

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in Figures l to 4 of the drawings, a casing I0 is provided which is geiierallyin the iorm of a'rect angjular box having side andend walls l I vvhichare lined with sheets of insulating material |2,'s1ichfas asbestos, and a bottom Wall 13. Thetop oi the housing l'0 ,is qpen a nd a plurality of valves M may be freely suspended thereth'rough v V -A plurality of electric heating 7 units I! are e ttal n t be g if ti '0 and the heating 'elemen't's li ther'eoi 'arearranged to heat the heads I'T of the valves 14 which are mounted directly thereover.

have "found in practice that vvhenfa sodium filled valve is simultaneously heated and vibrated that liib$tatitfal1y all -of th'e sodium within the valve will be moved to the bottorn of the cavity as determined by the position in which the valve is suspended, with the free surface of the sodium lying in a horizontal plane. It will thus be apparent to these skilled in the art that by simmtaneously heating and vibrating the valve with the valve stem held in a predetermined position with respectto the horizontal [that the sodium within the valve may e moved so that its free surface is disposed at the same angle with respect to the valve stem axis as the valve stem axis is with respect to the horizontal.

Having described the heating chamber by which the valves are heated, I will now describe theinechanism for vibrating and supporting the valves. h

In the form "of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, a plurality of valve supporting bars I8 extend across the top of the hous ing l0. Each bar [8 is supported at one end on an adjustable bolt I9 which is threaded into the top flange 20 of the housing l0. An intermediate .portion of each bar I8 is supported on a helical spring 2! which is carried on a bracket 22 mounted on a sub-base 23 which in turn is supported by brackets 24 on one "of the side walls I l of the housing Ill. The spring 2| is held in place by four guide pins 25.

Each bar 18 is also provided with an aperture 26 through which a guide pin 21, carried on the top flange 20 of theh'ousing 10, extends. Secured to the under side of each bar l8 directly over the top of the housing In is a composite member 29 formed of two sheets of metal 30 and SI with a sheet of heat insulatin'g material 32 such as asbestos disposed thereb'etween. This composite unit 29 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the bar [8 such as by means of bolts 3 3. The sheets 39, 3i and 32 are all bolted together by means of bolts 34. The end of the composite member 2!! remote from the spring 2| is provided with a cut-out portion 35 so as not to interfere with the support of the bar |8 on the bolt I9 and to permit a pair of guide pins 35 to extend up past either side of the bar l8 to prevent lateral movement of the same off of bolt IS. The

members 29 limit rocking movement of the bars l8 about their own longitudinal axis. Such movement may be further restricted by interconnecting adjacent bars l8 by a cross-tie 6|.

Mounted on the sub-base 23 are a plurality of solenoids 3'! each having a three-legged laminated iron core 38 The compression springs 2| normally hold each of the bars |'8 slightly above the upper surface of the laminated iron core 38. Each of the solenoids 31 is arranged to be energized from a transformer 39 which in turn is preferably connected to a source of alternating current such as the usual 110 volt 60 cycle alternating current provided by public utility companies throughout the country. When the solenoids 31 are energized by 60 cycle alternating current the bars l8 are vibrated 60 times a second about their supports I9.

The valves M are suspended from the bars If! by providing each bar with a pair of bushings 40 through which the valve stem 4| extends. The upper end of the valve stem 4| which protrudes through the bushing 45 is engaged by a collar 42 having a set screw 43 which may be tightened against the valve stem. When the valves M are suspended in the manner as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, heated by the heating element I5, and vibrated by the solenoid 31, the sodium within the valves H is all deposited within the valve head with the upper surface of the sodium disposed in a horizontal plane, or in other words, at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the valve stem. It is frequently desirable that the upper surface of the sodium be disposed in a plane lying at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem, such, for example, as at an angle of 45. This is accomplished by providing the unit shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings with a pair of legs 44 each having a slot 45 therein through which a wing bolt 46 extends and engages the side wall of the housing Hi. When the unit is disposed at a 45 angle withrespect to the horizontal, and the valves are vibrated in that position, it will be apparent that all of the sodium within the valves will be moved into one corner of the valve cavity with the free surface of the sodium disposed at a, 45 angle with respect to the axis of the valve stem.

In Figures and 6 of the drawings, a modification of the present invention is illustrated which provides means for bumping the sodium into the skirt and stem of the valve. More specifically, a heating chamber is provided by a housing 41 having a plurality of heating elements 48 mounted in the base thereof. The heating chamber is provided with a plurality of apertures 49 in the base wall 50 thereof through which the stems 4| of the valves l4 extend. A plurality of bars 5| are mounted belowthe base wall 5|] directly under the apertures 49. Each bar 5| is supported in a bracket 52 on one side of the heating chamber 41. The opposite end of the bar 5| extends over a solenoid 53 having a laminated iron core 54. An intermediate portion of the bar 5| is supported by a compression spring 55 carried on a bracket 56 and held in place by a plurality of guide pins 51.

The solenoids 53 are energized in a manner similar to that described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention and cause the bars 5| to be vibrated. Collars 58 are secured to the bars 5| in any suitable manner and are provided with set screws 59 for clamping the ends of the valve stems 4|' within the collars 59. The above described structure is all mounted on a suitable frame 60 which may be of any suitable form and shape,

While I have shown and described certain particular embodiments of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate, by the appended claims, to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A valve vibrator and heater comprising a heating chamber having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a valve suspension member extending across and above the opening, said suspension member being supported for pivotal movement in one side of said opening and having electromagnetic means for vibrating said suspension member in proximity to the other side of said opening, and means intermediate said pivotal support and said vibrating means for suspensing a valve within said chamber.

2. A valve vibrator and heater comprising a heating chamber having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a valve suspension member extending completely across and above the opening, one end of said suspension member extending beyond one of the outer edges of said heating chamber, said suspension member having its other end supported for pivotal movement and for proximity to one side of said opening, electromagnetic means for vibrating said one end which extends beyond said heating chamber, and means intermediate said pivotal support and said vibrating means for suspending a valve within said chamber.

3. A valve vibrator and heater comprising a heating chamber, a valve suspension member extending across said chamber, means for supporting said suspension member atone side of said chamber for limited angular movement, means at the other side of said chamber for confining said angular movement to movement toward and away from the interior of said chamber, electromagnetic means in proximity to said movement confining means for vibrating said member, and means intermediate said supporting means and said movement confining means for suspending a valve within said chamber.

4. A valve vibrator and heater comprising a heating chamber, a valve suspension member extending across said chamber, means for supporting said suspension member at one side of said chamber for limited angular movement, means at the other side of said chamber for confining said angular movement to movement toward and away from the interior of said chamber, said suspension member extending a substantial distance beyond the side of said chamber in which said movement confining means is located, resilient means in proximity to said movement confining means for resiliently supporting said suspension member and electromagnetic means for vibrating the end of said suspension member which extends beyond said heating chamber.

5. A valve vibrator and heater comprising a heating chamber, a valve suspension member extending across said chamber, means for supporting said suspension member at one side of said chamber for limited angular movement, means at the other side of said chamber for confining said angular movement to movement toward and away from the interior of said chamber, said suspension member extending a substantial distance beyond the side of said chamber in which said movement confining means is located, resilient means in proximity to said movement confining means for resiliently supporting said suspension member and electromagnetic means for vibrating the end of said suspension member which extends beyond said heating chamber, said resilient means being disposed between said heating chamber and said electromagnetic vibrating means.

REX DE ORE MGDILL. 

